Our church membership covenant is a promise by which we obligate ourselves to one another – GNC to the member and the member to GNC. It sets forth expectations and provides accountability for both parties. With that said, we understand that ultimately this covenant is a promise made to God as a commitment to His glory and His bride, the church.

 

OUR CHURCH MEMBERSHIP COVENANT

Having been led, as we believe, by the Spirit of God to repent and believe in the Lord Jesus Christ as the Lord and Savior of our lives, and having been baptized upon our profession of faith, in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, we do now faithfully and joyfully enter into covenant with one another as one body in Christ.

 

GNC’S COVENANT TO YOU

 

We covenant that your pastors and deacons will meet the criteria assigned to them in the Scriptures [1 Timothy 3:1-13; 5:17-22; Titus 1:5-9; 1 Peter 5:1-4].

 We covenant to seek God’s will for our church community to the best of our ability as we study the Scriptures and follow the Spirit, being prayerful in all we do, recognizing that Jesus is the head of our church [Acts 20:28; Colossians 1:18, Ephesians 1:22; 1 Peter 5:1-5].

We covenant to care for you and seek your growth as a disciple of Christ, in part by equipping you for service and helping you identify how God has uniquely designed you to serve in community and on mission [Ephesians 2:20; 4:11-16].

We covenant to pray for you regularly, particularly when you are sick, and to help you in times of need as we become aware of them [Acts 2:42-47; 4:32-35; James 2:14-17; 5:14].

 We covenant to provide teaching, preaching, and counsel from the Scriptures, and to develop a culture of training the church community to understand Scripture and think theologically.

 We covenant to protect our church by lovingly addressing sin issues [Matthew 18:15-20; 1 Corinthian 5; Galatians. 6:11; Acts 20:28; 1 Peter 5: 1-5].

 We covenant to worship God in spirit and truth, exalting Jesus as the Savior of the world. We will guard the overall philosophy of worshiping God as the natural priority of all we do [John 4:24; 4:42; Romans 12:1-2].

 We covenant to prayerfully and wisely steward all financial gifts and time that church members give as acts of worship.

 We covenant to approach family ministry holistically, to support marriages and to train parents as they raise their children and teenagers. We will support parents in their responsibility of training their children to learn the Scriptures and teachings of Jesus [Deuteronomy 6:1-9].

 We covenant to continually view the church itself as a mission, encouraging our members to remain focused on their being sent into the world to make disciples of all nations. We will support, train, equip, and encourage every member to live on mission in their everyday context [Matthew 28:19-20; John 20:21; Acts 1:8; 2 Corinthians 5:18-21].

 

YOUR COVENANT TO GNC

 I covenant to follow and submit to the Scriptures as the final authority in all areas of my life allowing God’s Word to guide my thoughts, change my actions, and help me to discern what is right and resist what is wrong [2 Timothy 3:16-17; Hebrews 4:12].

 I covenant to take responsibility for my own theological growth and to main­tain a close relationship with the Lord Jesus through regular Bible reading, prayer, fellowship, and participation in the regular activities of the church [Psalms 105:1-2; 119:97; Acts 2:42-47; 17:11; Hebrews 5:12-14; 10:23-25; 2 Peter 1:3; 3:18].

I covenant, by God’s grace, to walk in holiness as an act of worship to Jesus Christ, who has saved me from my sin that I could live a new life. I will also seek to avoid anything that brings unnecessary harm to the church or jeopardizes my own or another’s faith. [Job 31:1; Proverbs 5; Romans 8:13; 13:12-14; 14:21; 1Corinthians 6:9-7:16; 8:7; 2 Corinthians 5:17; Galatians 5:19-21; Colossians 3:5; Hebrews 13:4; 1 Peter 2:11; 1 John 1:6-10].

I covenant to walk with my brothers and sisters in love, unity, and the bond of peace. I will support my pastors and fellow members through prayer, kind words, and good deeds. I will also refuse to participate in gossip or slander.

[Matthew 6:9-15; Mark 11:25; John 13:34; 17:22-23; 2 Corinthians 12:20; Ephesians 4:1-3; 4:31- 32; James 1:27; 2:14-17; 5:13-17; 1 Peter 4:7].

 I covenant to steward my resources with an understanding that they are a gift from God. This stewardship includes regular financial giving to the church and the using of spiritual gifts to serve the church. [Proverbs 3:9-10; John 13:34; 17:22-23; Romans 12:1-8; 1 Corinthians 12-13; 2 Corinthians 8-9; 12: -7-31; Galatians 5:22-26; Ephesians 4:1-16; 5:15-18; Hebrews10:25; 1 Peter 4:10-11].

 I covenant to missional living. I will live my life in such a way that represents Jesus to the world in a way He would be pleased with, remaining pure and holy but not disconnected from the culture around me. I will regularly and inten­tionally cultivate relationships with and actively pray for people who do not yet know Jesus as Lord and Savior. I will also seek out opportunities to connect and invite my non-Christian friends and family into my Christian community [Matthew 5:13-16; 9:9; 28:18-20; John 4:28-29; 17:15; 20:21; Acts 1:8; 2 Corinthians 2:15; Colossians 4:2-6].

 I covenant, if the unfortunate need should ever arise, to submit to righteous discipline when approached biblically by brothers and sisters in Christ [Psalms 141:5; Matthew 18:15-17; 1 Corinthians 5:1-5; 2 Corinthians 2:5-8; Galatians 6:1-5; 1Timothy 5:20; 2 Timothy 2:25; Titus 1:19; 3:10-11; Hebrews 12:5-11; Revelation 2:5-7, 14-25].

I have read, understood, and agree with the core beliefs and church mem­bership covenant of GNC. I wholeheartedly affirm my commitment to this church and submit to the authority that the local church has been given in Scripture.